Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Monticello, MN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36% of gross income.

Monticello rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Monticello median rent
$1,619/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
36%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Monticello's median rent of $1,619 exceeds that threshold by $272/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 62.5 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Monticello, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Brooklyn Park, MN
$1,618/mo (36% of income)
Columbia Heights, MN
$1,618/mo (36% of income)
Rochester, MN
$1,618/mo (36% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Monticello

View full rent data for Monticello, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Monticello, MN?

Median rent in Monticello is $1,619 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 36% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Monticello?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Minnesota (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Monticello's current median rent is $1,619/mo, which is $272/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Monticello?

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Minnesota works roughly 62.5 hours a month to cover Monticello's median rent of $1,619.

Where is rent cheaper than Monticello for a bus driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Brooklyn Park ($1,618/mo), Columbia Heights ($1,618/mo), Rochester ($1,618/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Minnesota state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Monticello, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.